


What Are Men For?

by merlins_sister



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-22
Updated: 2012-07-22
Packaged: 2017-11-10 11:31:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/465795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merlins_sister/pseuds/merlins_sister
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boys find out what happened in Hoshi's hallucination in Vanishing Point and decide to do something about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Are Men For?

Hoshi walked to the mess hall still savouring the fact that her hands didn't go through door controls, handles...... bulkheads. The whole hallucination the day before had been a very disturbing experience. As a result she still felt shaky. As if this was all part of the dream. The bit before you wake up again and discover you're in a worse situation than your subconscious has given you credit for. Hoshi momentarily closed her eyes and tried to clear her head. It was all a dream, she told herself. Just her subconscious trying to scare the hell out of her again. She just had to keep telling herself that.

Starting to walk down the corridor again, she felt her stomach rumble a little. She had tried to ignore her feeling of being unsettled that day by throwing herself into the work of translating the hieroglyphs from the planet. She knew she was unlikely to get much further but it was a puzzle, and puzzles were good when you didn't want to think about other things. So she had had virtually no lunch, surviving on small sandwich and a bit of fruit. It was lucky that Chef was cooking her favourite chicken dish tonight.

Walking into the mess hall she savoured the warm sounds of voices around her. A few friends called out her name, and she turned to wave a hello as she headed to the dispensers. It was so nice to be seen again. That was the bit she'd hated most in the dream. The feeling that she wasn't wanted, insignificant. That had particularly left a nasty taste in her mouth. Lost in this thought she stopped with a start when she realised she'd been joined by Trip, Malcolm and Travis.

"Hey Hoshi," said Trip.

"Commander," Hoshi replied. "Sorry didn't see you there. I was miles away."

"Must have been an interesting place to miss all three of us," stated Travis.

"Just thinking about that transporter thing. It all still feels a little strange."

"Well that's understandable," replied Malcolm. "It's not everyday your brain persuades you that you're disappearing."

"You can say that again," said Hoshi with a smile. The men stood around her, seemingly uninterested in the food on display on the shelves, and apparently not planning on moving either.

"Are you here for dinner?" Hoshi asked after a moment when no further explanation was offered. 

"Kinda," replied Trip. He looked at Malcolm and then at Travis. Hoshi's stomach tightened. They were up to something. She could tell.

"It's just that," Trip continued, "the Captain told me about what happened in your dream, not just the bits about you going invisible and stuff. About how you felt left out and everything." Hoshi's stomach tightened further. She hadn't particularly wanted anyone else to know that bit, especially since these three had been in the dream.

"And considering that dreams sometimes reflect what you feel in real life...." started Travis.

"We wanted to make sure you didn't feel that here," finished Malcolm.

Hoshi wasn't sure if she felt more embarrassed or touched. "Guys...." she started to say, before they took over again.

"We know what you're going to say....that it was just a dream and everything," said Trip. "And in some instances you'd be right. I mean if we took Malcolm's recurring dream about T'Pol and the torpedo tubes too seriously where would we be."

"Travis!" exclaimed the armoury officer. 

"What?" asked Travis.

"I didn't mean for you to spread that around the whole ship," replied Malcolm.

"I only told Commander Tucker," the helmsman replied somewhat confused.

"Exactly." Malcolm stared at the Chief Engineer, who seemed somewhat amused at this. 

"It's all right Malcolm. Your dream is safe with me," he said calmly, though the twinkle in his eye was enough to unnerve the armoury officer.

Malcolm glared at Trip for a moment longer, obviously unconvinced by the engineer's proclamation. Turning back to Hoshi, Malcolm explained further, "We just don't want you to feel unwanted by us, or excluded."

"Please, it was no more different than if I was engrossed in talking to a group of girl friends and didn't notice one of you come up," Hoshi replied, still not sure what she should be bracing herself for.

"Yeah, but that's less likely to happen on a starship with only a third of the crew female," said Travis.

"But not impossible."

"True," replied Trip. "But, with the exception of T'Pol, you're the only other female officer in the Bridge Crew. And we want you to feel that we value you and like you. Both as a friend and as a colleague. And not just as a linguist."

Hoshi's cheeks had started to turn a little pink.

"That's very sweet Commander," she said quietly. "I'm touched. Thank you. All of you."

"And to prove it's not just words," continued Travis. "we are going to spend the evening pampering you. Starting with dinner."

"Really there is no need....."

"Yes there is Hoshi," stated Malcolm. "You go and sit down with Travis, and the Commander and I will bring you your dinner." At Hoshi's hesitation Malcolm continued, "Don't make me order you Ensign."

"After all," continued Trip, "How often do you get senior officers waiting on you?"

"Well," said Hoshi sensing her defeat. "I can't miss that can I."

Still a little hesitant Hoshi took Travis' proffered arm as they walked over to a table. "Aren't you eating?" she asked as they settled into their seats. 

"It's all right," replied Travis. "I'll get mine once they bring yours over."

"Travis, was this your idea?" she asked, watching Trip and Malcolm at the same time, a little nervous of what they were up to.

"Actually, it was the Commander's," said Travis, following her gaze. "Malcolm said that it might make you feel a bit too much like the little sister...you know, having to be taken care of. But the Commander was quite insistent that gestures are important in a friendship." Travis turned to look at her, "And I agreed just out of entertainment value." He turned his trademark smile on her.

Hoshi paused before continuing, "If I'm honest Travis, I do feel a little bit awkward. You know I don't particularly like fuss."

"Yeah I know. But the Commander was obviously upset at the thought of you feeling unwanted and insignificant on the ship. He's very fond of you Hoshi." Travis hesitated a little. "We all are."

After a moments further thoughtfulness, he continued in a bright voice," So just let us do this for you. It isn't a comment on you, or your abilities, or your standing on this ship. It's just three friends trying to show they care." He ended the sentence with an insistent look. 

Hoshi nodded her agreement deciding that she obviously wasn't going to win any argument about it.

"After all," continued Travis as Trip and Malcolm arrived with the hoped for chicken, cheesecake and elderflower drink. "What else are men for if not to pamper the women they care about?"

To that Hoshi could only agree.


End file.
